Started a new workout regime and diet I got from BodyBuilding.com. So far I feel pretty good. Although I don't like eating 6 freaking eggs and oatmeal for breakfast. All else is pretty easy as the diet goes. The workout is giving me more hell than I thought it would. Sore to the bone. but I guess that means I'm doing it right.

I've been meaning to give Kris Gethin's workout on there a try. He uses some crazy rep scheme on some days it's like - 10, 20, 30, 40, 30, 20, 10. It's really cool because it's a day by day workout. You click on what day it is for you and a workout comes up with a video.

I've been meaning to give Kris Gethin's workout on there a try. He uses some crazy rep scheme on some days it's like - 10, 20, 30, 40, 30, 20, 10. It's really cool because it's a day by day workout. You click on what day it is for you and a workout comes up with a video.

I love green tea! I try to have a glass of iced green tea (home brewed) with every meal.

That's fantastic. It's so good for you. I just ranted at Irina Marina about my endless love for tea in general.
Home brewed is best. A good hot cup always makes me feel better.

Thanks for posting that chart. I love green tea and teas in general but I don't drink them as often as I'd like. I have been going to the tea house across from my gym though as I wait for my mom to get to the gym so we can work out together. So far I'm hooked to their peppermint tea. I felt kind of guilty drinking tea before going to the gym but now I feel better about it since you posted that chart haha.

I love green tea! I try to have a glass of iced green tea (home brewed) with every meal.

That's fantastic. It's so good for you. I just ranted at Irina Marina about my endless love for tea in general.
Home brewed is best. A good hot cup always makes me feel better.

Thanks for posting that chart. I love green tea and teas in general but I don't drink them as often as I'd like. I have been going to the tea house across from my gym though as I wait for my mom to get to the gym so we can work out together. So far I'm hooked to their peppermint tea. I felt kind of guilty drinking tea before going to the gym but now I feel better about it since you posted that chart haha.

Tea is so wonderful for you. Peppermint is stellar. One of my top two!

I've been meaning to give Kris Gethin's workout on there a try. He uses some crazy rep scheme on some days it's like - 10, 20, 30, 40, 30, 20, 10. It's really cool because it's a day by day workout. You click on what day it is for you and a workout comes up with a video.

I've been meaning to give Kris Gethin's workout on there a try. He uses some crazy rep scheme on some days it's like - 10, 20, 30, 40, 30, 20, 10. It's really cool because it's a day by day workout. You click on what day it is for you and a workout comes up with a video.

Yeah I just stumbled upon it one day looking for product reviews. There is just a whole mass of free info on there about workout regime's diets and all that. I wish I would have found it earlier. I think all the gym work I did before I was doing wrong, so even though it was working out if I wouldn't have known better I think I could have seen more improvement. Ya know hindsight and all.

The "oblique exercise" you are doing - is that the one where you're standing up and you hold a weight in one hand and bend your body in the direction of the weight? Because I've never really gotten much from that exercise without doing extremely high reps with lighter weight (50+ reps).

I forgot to put that I did do back workouts, so weird cuz I woke up thinking about it. I did do lower back exercises on Monday on the machine, 3 reps of 20 at 65 lbs.

The oblique exercises I do are while using a stand they have so it's at an angle. I never liked doing the ones where you stand straight up. I also do oblique exercises when I'm on the ab solo, so I'm using the weight ball. I started incorporating those a couple weeks back, instead of doing continuous sit ups I would do a set of 10 regular then 10 where I bring the weight ball side to side, focusing on the oblique muscles. I alternate between these two with no breaks until I do at least 60. The most I've done alternating is 80.

I'd like to post a little bit about motivation. I think motivation is important now more than ever while we're gearing up for the holiday season and some may be making some New Year's resolutions.

When I first started working out, my motivation was performance based. I wanted to be stronger for hockey. But because it was for hockey (and I was young) I put a ceiling on my progress. As long as I could be the fastest skater in the league, have a decent slap shot, check pretty good, and do all that for my 30-45 second shift - that was good enough. I still smoked. I still drank. I didn't ever set higher goals.

Later in life, after I got out of hockey, my motivation shifted to purely looks. I think everybody can agree that an athletic body is pretty attractive. And as I was modeling, it seemed to be a priority to shoot for.

A lot of people claim that health is the reason that they want to eat better and exercise more. I think that this is the number 1 benefit of working out. But, it's shouldn't be our number 1 motivation. It puts us in a contradictory position if we claim that. And it's easy to get discouraged because health benefits come slowly.

Besides, most of us drink. Most of us don't get enough sleep. Most of us eat McDonald's. Most of us do tons of stuff to put our belief systems at odds with each other.

So what do I think should be our motivations?

Here's the thing though that I think I realize now. I think we should workout for health reasons. I think that for sure. That should be the reason we are working out in every circumstance. But I don't think that should be our motivation.

I think our motivation should be little things. Small things that you can see. Tiny goals that you can always adjust and shoot for. There is no ceiling because they can always be moved up. And I like them to be fun - I guess kind of like a competition.

Lately, my goals have been more "functional" training centered. Body weight movements and stuff like that.

Some chest day examples. I want to be able to do 100 push-ups in 4 minutes. (I think I'm getting close to this one though I haven't tested it in a while.) I want to be able to do a planche push-up (I can't do this one at all).

Some back day examples. I do Deadlift goals every once in a while. I want to be able to do 50 pull-ups. (I'm not even close to that. I might be able to do 20 straight on a good day.)

Shoulers - I want to do 20 upside down shoulder presses. (I haven't tested this yet, but I don't think I can do that.)

I've also always had problems with cardiovascular endurance. I've been slowly building up my endurance by doing fun things. Like in Muay Thai, I'll kick the bag 50 times with each leg without rest over and over for rounds. I'll jump rope with high knees for rounds of 5 minutes trying to get more jumps in each time. I'll punch the bag as fast as I can for as long as I can for rounds.

Making small goals is the only thing that gets me to workout abs at all. I hate abs. But... knowing I told my trainer he can punch me in the stomach for rounds of 5 punch combos next week - that'll make sure my abs are tight. Also - I really want to be able to do 100 slow hanging windshield wipers.

I think now created small goals each time I workout too has really helped me not get discouraged or skip workouts. I'm always excited to see where I am at compared to my goals.

And the benefit - my nice athletic appearance and my improved health.

What is your motivations? And will you reevaluated after reading this?

Keeping that motivation to stay in shape after high school was really hard for me. I was/am very competitive and during high school I had others around me that I could compete with while working out. I prided myself in being able to do what other girls couldn't. Then I got hurt, I graduated, and decided I couldn't work out like before, which was true, but I kind of threw working out out the window. I would be active here and there, go to the gym with friends on occasion, but I never got into a routine, or set goals for myself because I wasn't preoccupied with keeping in shape. Now I'm finally going to the gym on a more regular basis and what keeps me motivated now is competing with myself.

Each day I go I do something slightly different. If I do the same routine I add more weight or more reps.

Pete, I totally hear you on the ab workouts. All throughout high school I hated doing anything ab related so when I would workout on my own I would never do any ab workouts. Currently I kick ass at abs. I do over 100 reps of different ab exercises each time I hit the gym.

When I first started working out again this year I could barely do pushups and now I'm up to 50 pushups. I also do jiu jitsu style push ups which I could barely do when I was in jiu jitsu, now I'm up to 20 of those. I still can't really do the diamond pushups yet but it's my goal to be able to at least do ten of those soon.

Started a new workout regime..........Sore to the bone. but I guess that means I'm doing it right.

common misconception. soreness initially indicates your body isn't conditioned to the strain you're putting on it. That goes away pretty quickly.....if you are still getting overly sore in a week or two, it means you aren't recovering properly. To recover better, you need to eat more.

I looked at the link to your routine.....theres a lot of volume in there, and only one rest day. Introduce youself to milk if you haven't already. Its a cheap/easy way to get loads of quality calories into your diet.

JKuhlmann - I recommend eggs over milk any day of the week for a cheap source of protein. I think milk should be consumed only once a day at the most. It's basically broken down in your body as sugar. After a workout it's pretty good or first thing in the morning. Other than that - I think it's empty calories.

When I first started working out, my motivation was performance based. I wanted to be stronger for hockey. But because it was for hockey (and I was young) I put a ceiling on my progress. As long as I could be the fastest skater in the league, have a decent slap shot, check pretty good, and do all that for my 30-45 second shift - that was good enough. I still smoked. I still drank. I didn't ever set higher goals.

Later in life, after I got out of hockey, my motivation shifted to purely looks. I think everybody can agree that an athletic body is pretty attractive.

I can't believe how similar to my own situation this is! My awesome legs disappeared so quickly when I finally quit playing hockey, and when I finally realized this, my freakout was much more "Legs! Why do you look so gross!" than "Legs! You're not strong anymore!"

I quit hockey 3 years ago, along with quitting my running regiment down an empty street in my neighborhood at home (I'm very self-conscious about exercising in front of people) and have been so busy with schoolwork since, but going to school with Chris this semester has been a big help, motivation-wise. We held each others' legs doing sit-ups over the summer and have even managed to hit the treadmills at the student rec center a few times this semester together. He goes more often than I do though, so I feel a drop in self-esteem when we're first running and I look into the mirror to see that I'm beet-red and my hair is damp and here is blondey-boy next to me looking perfect. But I love the post-run feeling. I've been reading "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall - a very interesting and motivational story.

JKuhlmann - I recommend eggs over milk any day of the week for a cheap source of protein. I think milk should be consumed only once a day at the most. It's basically broken down in your body as sugar. After a workout it's pretty good or first thing in the morning. Other than that - I think it's empty calories.

That's just my opinion. I could be wrong though.

p.s. - your avatar hypnotizes me. it's creepy! haha

eggs are great, but milk is irreplaceable. i'm not reccommending milk simply for the protein, milk contains all the ingredients necessary for growth and recovery (fats, carbs, sugar, protein)...its most certainly NOT empty calories. milk is the only known food that a human can subside on absent any other food intake.

when someone is attempting to build muscle a caloric surplus is necessary. Having been on both ends of the spectrum, losing weight for fights, and gaining weight for strength i can tell you confidently that GAINING weight is harder than LOSING it. That being said, having access to nutritionally dense, liquid calories (ie: whole milk) makes the surplus easier and more comfortable to meet.

It might not be right for everyone, but in the post that i quoted, it seemed as though the goal he was working toward required more calories

So far I am up to dead lifting up to 205lbs with about 8 reps. Though I lose my grip every 4-5 reps and have to readjust and start over. I have an old elbow injury that I have to watch out for. I still have 2 screws in my right elbow. Sometimes it stresses a bit and I have to take it easy. I will never be able to do a max bench. I can do about my body weight but after my elbow is screwed for a while so I tend to stick to around 100-115 with about 10-12 reps.

i haven't been working out consistently for a while and i've been neglecting my lower half. i usually go for upper body 3 or 4 times a week. i stopped lower body exercises because i get dizzy doing squats, etc.

i lost a bit of weight around my midsection because lately, i've been eating nothing but salads for dinner (mixed greens with feta cheese , raisins, and low fat balsamic dressing). it started out as part of a diet routine but now i think i may be addicted to it.

for lunch, i usually have 12 rolls of sushi or a sub that has less than 600 calories or some rice dish that gets digested before it reaches my stomach. i think the calorie deficit is the reason why i'm usually dizzy and nauseated after an hour at the gym nowadays. about four months ago, i was about 210 and now i'm around 195. i'm around 6'4" so even when i weighed about 220, it wasn't that noticeable.

i'm keeping with the calorie intake since i'm noticing that fat around my midsection is slowly going away. that's the most difficult to remove. i hate doing crunches.

i don't pay much attention to how much i lift. i think i'm at the point where i'm doing this for a while that i'm satisfied where i am. i don't feel like i need to bulk up. when i started working out almost five years ago, i just wanted to fit clothes better and be healthier. being able to wear clothes that fit well does a lot to boost how you feel about yourself.

i suppose that's a good by product for exercising. having better health should definitely be the primary motivation.

I don't get it Rosie! I have been eating a lot. I ate pan dulce all day yesterday, junk food all weekend, I'm not watching what I eat, I just eat it! It really shocked me that I lost that much weight because I haven't been eating that healthy recently. I think I should shut up now and stuff my face with fat and grease now.

I love my midwife, she doesn't weigh me and says she won't unless it's obvious I'm putting on way too much or am worried about it. My friend who has the same due date has lost 3 kilos and been told she's only allowed to put on 6kgs. I reckon that's crazy.

Ok, so Ive started my new year off by walking a mile at the track everyday so far. This only takes me about 4 songs to do, one per lap. Anyhow, I will be walking further and further. I am just starting out slow, since I exercise absolutely zero. So I figure I should start out slow. I also am going to change my eating habits. I am cutting out all pops and switching to water and diet fruit flavored tea(has no sugars and no calories)but does have caffeine. I am doing this, because I cannot deal with no caffeine, it gives me a terrible headache. I am only doing fish and chicken for meats. Lots of salads, yogurt, beans and nuts. No rice, pasta, bread or chips. Anyone have anymore ideas on food? You know, healthy foods to incorporate into my diet. I want to eat healthy, I am not going to call this a Diet. (that word just makes me think I am starving myself for some reason) So any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! :)

A good way to start, and what I basically did the whole time I was losing weight, was just eat less. You know in your head what is good and what is bad for you, so when you go to the fridge, you've just gotta make the right choices, and eat smaller portions than you usually do. You don't wanna cut too many calories at once, because your body will get used to that, and it'll be harder down the road to find more calories to cut.

A good way to start, and what I basically did the whole time I was losing weight, was just eat less. You know in your head what is good and what is bad for you, so when you go to the fridge, you've just gotta make the right choices, and eat smaller portions than you usually do. You don't wanna cut too many calories at once, because your body will get used to that, and it'll be harder down the road to find more calories to cut.

That's my two cents.

Use a smaller plate. Sounds stupid, but it works.

And, yeah, you're pretty much spot on. Most people know what's good or bad. They pretend ignorance.

I seemed to have been losing weight without really trying too. Not tons, but enough to fit into a dress that hadn't fit me in over a year and a half the other night. I don't know the actual amount as I don't have a scale and my wii broke. But I'd say fitting into that dress, especially after just finishing the holidays, is a good sign.

Thanks guys for the advice. I am glad you brought up the portion thing. That is something I am going to watch. And the smaller plate is a good idea because I have these one plates that we use most of the time, and they are oval and deep, much like a platter.....bad idea. So my plate size will be changing too. Fano, you are right, it is all about making the right choices.
I just really want to loose the weight Ive gained and get fit. I just dont feel good about myself and know it is time for a change. I think what is so hard for me is that my whole life, up until about 5 years ago, Ive never exercised, or had to watch what I eat. I was always thin, sometimes too thin. So all of this is new to me, and will be a learning experience for sure. Again thanks for the advice.

That are some big changes, good for you! I was gonna say what Chris already said about portions. It's a struggle for me everyday, but I'm trying really hard to only eat as much as I need, not as I want.

Yeah, total struggle for me too. Ive always been a big eater of everything and would never gain weight from it. That was some Tomfoolery going on there. In the last few years when I have tried to loose weight, I have that DIET word in my head and it just causes a problem for me mentally. So this time....NO DIET, just eating healthy with portion control. Just sounds better that way to me.

Ha my doet is the opposite of all this weight loss. I've gained 15 pounds in the last 2 months though I think I'm at a standstill. I was hoping to gain 20-25 before this phase was over and I can do my cut. But the 15 lbs was gained in the first 6 weeks and now its constant at 180 up from 165. I intake a lot of calories mostly lean meat, oatmeal, and protein shakes to supplement, also been eating a lot a salmon and taking a crazy multi vitamin. (just got fish oil too). I do keep making gains every week in my weights though, and had a few comments at the gym regarding my size. #Feelsgoodbrah

Ha my doet is the opposite of all this weight loss. I've gained 15 pounds in the last 2 months though I think I'm at a standstill. I was hoping to gain 20-25 before this phase was over and I can do my cut. But the 15 lbs was gained in the first 6 weeks and now its constant at 180 up from 165. I intake a lot of calories mostly lean meat, oatmeal, and protein shakes to supplement, also been eating a lot a salmon and taking a crazy multi vitamin. (just got fish oil too). I do keep making gains every week in my weights though, and had a few comments at the gym regarding my size. #Feelsgoodbrah

I didn't reach my goal of gaining weight. In fact I lost weight and I'm the lightest I've been the past ten years.

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